Crisp packets, bread bags and yoghurt tops to get a new life as furniture for NHS gardens
By Jill Dando News
Thousands of pieces of soft plastics, such as bread bags and crisp packets, dropped off by customers at Tesco stores are to get a new lease of life as outdoor furniture and garden equipment in a series of community gardens being designed for NHS Property Services.
Veolia has introduced an innovative recycling process that can turn soft plastic, which previously was difficult to recycle, into items such as benches, decking, tables and raised beds.
The recycled gardening products will be donated to the NHSPS Social Prescribing Programme to introduce nature around health centres for use by patients and the local community.
RELATED: https://goodnewspost.co.uk/80-drop-in-carrier-bags-on-uk-beaches/
The programme, being coordinated by environmental and community charity Groundwork and in partnership with government-owned health estate organisation NHS Property Services and the UK’s leading resource management company Veolia, will see gardens created in community locations across the country with furniture and equipment made entirely from hundreds of thousands of pieces of soft plastic returned to store by Tesco customers.
A bench alone uses more than 2,500 pieces of soft plastic to create.
The first of the gardens will be created at the John Scott Health Centre in London, owned by NHS Property Services, and will include trellising, decking, raised beds, seating and tables all made from recycled bread bags, crisp packets, yoghurt tops and other pieces of soft plastic.
The garden is one of the 100 hubs and green spaces designed and delivered as a part of NHSPS’ social prescribing programme.
Social prescribing aims to provide non-clinical routes to treatment for people with a range of social or health issues, giving them more choice and freedom to receive the support they need.
By addressing the root causes of ill health and enhancing overall wellbeing, social prescribing has emerged as a powerful tool in the healthcare landscape. Demand on the voluntary sector to deliver services that can help address specific social needs is increasing. And through strategic partnerships with Integrated Care Boards, Trusts, GPs, and the voluntary sector, NHSPS has been identifying and redeveloping vacant space in its portfolio to help support local communities this way.
Further projects are planned at: Tarleton Health Centre, Preston; Maghull Health Centre, Merseyside; Goscote Hospice, Walsall; Shaw House, St Austell and Whitby Community Hospital
Tony McElroy, Tesco Head of Campaigns, said: “It’s fantastic to see the soft plastic that our customers are returning being turned into something new that will benefit communities and help give young people a stronger start in life.
It’s still our absolute priority to remove and reduce as much plastic as possible and make sure everything we use is recycled and kept out of the environment.”
Dr. Min Rodriguez, Head of Social Impact at NHSPS, said: "We are really proud of the impact our social prescribing sites have had on individuals and communities – just between 2022 and 2023 we have reached 60,000 patients. This collaboration with Tesco, Veolia and Groundworks highlights the potential of innovative partnerships to not only create vibrant spaces for public benefit but also to drive positive change in healthcare and environmental sustainability. And it’s particularly special that we are repurposing soft plastics instead of increasing waste.”
DON'T MISS: https://goodnewspost.co.uk/starbucks-uk-and-harry-kane-foundation-invite-the-nation-to-kick-off-a-conversation-over-a-coffee/
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “This is a great example of innovative thinking to minimise plastic waste while improving much needed open spaces in local communities. We’re proud to be playing our part in delivering this project with the sustainable design expertise and nature-based solutions brought by our Landscape Architects and look forward to seeing the benefits it brings to communities and the environment.”
Adam Wylie, Managing Director - Commercial, at Veolia said: “It’s great to be working on this unique project which brings together three of our partners: Tesco, one of our most innovative partnerships that is bolstering the circular economy; with the NHS in providing energy, decarbonisation and resource management solutions; and Groundwork as our charity partner and with whom we have delivered ambitious social value campaigns across the country to support the local communities we serve every day.
“Utilising recycled materials in green spaces and collaborating across private and public bodies to deliver these social prescribing gardens is a testament to how we can and must all work together to deliver ecological transformation.”
Dr Mareeni Raymond, GP Principal, said: “The Heron Practice is a Greener Practice Silver award winning team who recognise the importance of reducing health inequalities and improving health outcomes by being outdoors, having cleaner air and taking part in activities for mental and physical health. We have been so pleased to be able to support patients through social prescribing and volunteer-led community activities including medication, exercise and now, a patient and staff gardening group.
"Watching a derelict wasted space become transformed into a haven of flowers and edible plants has been positive for our team and we look forward to nurturing the space, connecting communities and enjoying home grown plant-based food as part of our continuing journey as a practice.”
Tesco’s 4Rs packaging strategy aims to remove plastic where it can, reduce where it can't, reuse more and recycle what's left. To date, Tesco over 2.3 billion pieces of plastic have been permanently removed from Tesco own brand products in the UK, including:
● 200+ million bags from Tesco.com deliveries
● 100+ million extra lids from products such as wipes, creams, yoghurts and desserts
● 50 million pieces of plastic wrapping from cans of branded beers and ciders
